Diet and Activity Budget in Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii at Nabugabo, Uganda: Are They Energy Maximizers?

Folia Primatologica ◽

10.1159/000511046 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

T. Jean M. Arseneau-Robar ◽

Amtul H. Changasi ◽

Evan Turner ◽

Julie A. Teichroeb

Keyword(s):

Food Availability ◽

Activity Budget ◽

Foraging Strategies ◽

High Quality ◽

Black And White ◽

Food Items ◽

Leaf Consumption ◽

Young Leaves ◽

Quality Diet ◽

Colobus Angolensis

Introduction: Colobine monkeys are specialized folivores that use foregut fermentation to digest leaves. The slow process of fermentation forces them to spend a lot of time resting and to minimize their energy expenditure to subsist on a lower-quality diet. Methods: We recorded the diet and activity budget of Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii, which form a three-tiered multi-level society, at Lake Nabugabo, Uganda, over 12 months using scan sampling on adults and subadults, to determine whether they utilize the energy minimization strategy typical of colobines. Results: We found that the annual diet was primarily comprised of high-quality food resources (young leaves 65% and fruit 31%), and fruits were the only plant part the monkeysselected when available. Both the fruits and young leaves of some species were preferred food items in some months, and mature leaf consumption correlated negatively with preferred food availability. Mature leaves appear to be a fallback food for this population but are rarely relied upon (3%). The C. a. ruwenzoriiat Nabugabo spent less time resting (40%) and more time moving (25%) than is typical for other species of black-and-white colobus. Discussion/Conclusion: The high-quality diet of this population appears to allow them to utilize an energy maximization strategy. Their reliance on food items that tend to be clumped in space and time likely explains the frequent fission-fusion behaviour that we observe between core units. Our findings demonstrate that the foraging strategies of colobines may be more flexible than was previously thought and illustrate how food availability and distribution can impact primate social organization.

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Photographic procedures

The Paleontological Society Special Publications ◽

10.1017/s2475262200005311 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. 336-341

Author(s):

Rodney M. Feldmann

Keyword(s):

High Quality ◽

Black And White ◽

Normal Spectrum

Preparation of appropriate photographs is absolutely essential in conveying paleontological information. The effort expended in adequate cleaning and preparation of specimens is not only reflected in exposing the detail of material so that it can be properly described but also in permitting the morphologic information to be transmitted to others through photography. Therefore the purpose of this chapter is to describe the general procedures involved in preparing high quality, publishable photographs because special techniques related to photography of microfossils will be treated elsewhere, the emphasis within this chapter will be upon photography of macrofossils, specimens large enough to be photographed using a normal spectrum of photographic lenses and extension tubes. Because nearly all paleontological material is illustrated as black and white photographs, no reference will be made to the preparation of color illustrations.

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THE LIVE WEIGHT GROWTH OF BULLS OF DIFFERENT BREEDS

Animal Breeding and Genetics ◽

10.31073/abg.53.14 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

pp. 115-119

Author(s):

A. V. Dymchuk ◽

O. I. Lyubynskyy

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Weight Gain ◽

Dairy Cattle ◽

Live Weight ◽

Mathematical Statistics ◽

High Quality ◽

New Born ◽

Black And White ◽

Daily Average ◽

Weight Growth

The studies of the dynamics results of body weight, absolute and daily average, relative increases averaging bulls of Ukrainian black-and-white and Ukrainian red-and-white dairy cattle. Researches are conducted in the conditions of POSP «Napadivske» Kalyinivka district of the Vinnytsya area after materials of primary pedigree account. In an economy use the whole-year of the same type feeding. In the structure of ration 40% make the concentrated sterns and also high-quality silage and soilage. Average daily increases of bulls for period of age to realization for a slaughter made over 1000 grammes. The dynamics of growth of living mass, absolute, average daily and relative increases of bulls, is analysed Ukrainian black-and-white and Ukrainian red-and-white dairy cattle. Living mass and weight gain researches of age to 12-monthly age with an interval in 3 months after the generally accepted methods. Materials of researches are worked out the methods of mathematical statistics with the use of programmatic package of Statistica 8.0. Living mass of bulls of the second group at birth made 36,3 kg, that anymore on 0,8 kg by comparison to new-born bulls of the first group. In all next periods living mass of animals of the second group was greater as compared to the animals of the same age of the first. In 3 months advantage made 1,7 kg, in 6 months – 4,6 kg (P>0,95), in 9 months – 8,8 kg (P>0,95), in 12 months – 12,5 kg (P>0,99). Difference of absolute increases of bulls of the second group above the bulls of the same age of the first of age to to 3-monthly age made 0,8 kg in behalf of animals of the second group. In a period 3-6 months a difference is after this index between the first and second groups made 2,9 kg in behalf of the last. In periods 6-9 and reliable advantage of animals of the second group is 9-12 months set above the bulls of the same age of the first on 4,1 kg (P>0,95) and 3,7 kg (P>0,95) accordingly. In a period of age to 18-monthly age absolute increases of bulls of the second group were greater by comparison to bulls first on 12,5 kg (R>0,99). Average daily increases of bulls of the second group of age to 3-monthly age made 763,0 grammes, that anymore on 8,9 grammes by comparison to bulls of the first group. In periods 3-6 months the average daily increases of animals of the second group prevailed the bulls of the same age of the first on 32,6 grammes. In a period 6-9 months the average daily increases of animals of the second group were made by 1045,9 grammes, that for certain anymore on 45,9 grammes (P>0,95) by comparison to the bulls of the same age of the first. Maximal increases of bulls were in a period 9-12 months and made 1210,4 grammes in the animals of the second group and 1168,9 grammes – for the bulls of the same age of the first, that for certain anymore on 41,5 grammes (P>0,95). In a period of age to 12-monthly age the average daily increases of bulls of the second group were made by 970,6 grammes, that was for certain anymore on 31,8 grammes (R>0,99) by comparison to the bulls of the same age of the first group. Relative increases of bulls of both groups were high. From birth to 3-monthly age greater increases had bulls of the first group – 97,8%, and in periods 3-6, 6-9 and 9-12 months greater were increases of bulls of the same age of the second group – 56,4; 40,1 and 32,4% accordingly. For all probed periods of reliable advantage it is not discovered between the compared groups. It is set researches, that at the identical terms of feeding and maintenance more rapid bulls grow Ukrainian red-and-white dairy cattle. In all age-old periods they prevailed the bulls of the same age of the Ukrainian black-and-white dairy cattle, in a that number, beginning from 9-monthly age, advantage was reliable (P>0,95–0,99). Average daily increases of bulls of two breeds were the least in a period of age to to 3-monthly age – 754,1-763,0 grammes, and most in a period 9-12 months – 1168,9–1210,4 grammes.

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An exploration of the relationship between recruitment communication and foraging in stingless bees

Current Zoology ◽

10.1093/cz/zoab043 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Robbie I’Anson Price ◽

Francisca Segers ◽

Amelia Berger ◽

Fabio S Nascimento ◽

Christoph Grüter

Keyword(s):

Stingless Bees ◽

Sugar Content ◽

Social Information ◽

Food Resources ◽

Food Sources ◽

Foraging Strategies ◽

High Quality ◽

Recruitment Communication ◽

Eusocial Bees ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Social information is widely used in the animal kingdom and can be highly adaptive. In social insects, foragers can use social information to find food, avoid danger or choose a new nest site. Copying others allows individuals to obtain information without having to sample the environment. When foragers communicate information they will often only advertise high quality food sources, thereby filtering out less adaptive information. Stingless bees, a large pantropical group of highly eusocial bees, face intense inter- and intra-specific competition for limited resources, yet display disparate foraging strategies. Within the same environment there are species that communicate the location of food resources to nest-mates and species that do not. Our current understanding of why some species communicate foraging sites while others do not is limited. Studying freely foraging colonies of several co-existing stingless bee species in Brazil, we investigated if recruitment to specific food locations is linked to (1) the sugar content of forage, (2) the duration of foraging trips and (3) the variation in activity of a colony from one day to another and the variation in activity in a species over a day. We found that, contrary to our expectations, species with recruitment communication did not return with higher quality forage than species that do not recruit nestmates. Furthermore, foragers from recruiting species did not have shorter foraging trip durations than those from weakly-recruiting species. Given the intense inter- and intraspecific competition for resources in these environments, it may be that recruiting species favour food resources that can be monopolised by the colony rather than food sources that offer high-quality rewards.

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Diet Quality Is Associated with a High Newborn Size and Reduction in the Risk of Low Birth Weight and Small for Gestational Age in a Group of Mexican Pregnant Women: An Observational Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13061853 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 1853

Author(s):

María A. Reyes-López. ◽

Carla P. González-Leyva ◽

Ameyalli M. Rodríguez-Cano ◽

Carolina Rodríguez-Hernández ◽

Eloisa Colin-Ramírez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Nutritional Status ◽

Diet Quality ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Small For Gestational Age ◽

Mexican Women ◽

High Quality ◽

Quality Diet ◽

Newborn Size

A high-quality diet during pregnancy may have positive effects on fetal growth and nutritional status at birth, and it may modify the risk of developing chronic diseases later in life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between diet quality and newborn nutritional status in a group of pregnant Mexican women. As part of the ongoing Mexican prospective cohort study, OBESO, we studied 226 healthy pregnant women. We adapted the Alternated Healthy Eating Index-2010 for pregnancy (AHEI-10P). The association between maternal diet and newborn nutritional status was investigated by multiple linear regression and logistic regression models. We applied three 24-h recalls during the second half of gestation. As the AHEI-10P score improved by 5 units, the birth weight and length increased (β = 74.8 ± 35.0 g and β = 0.3 ± 0.4 cm, respectively, p < 0.05). Similarly, the risk of low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA) decreased (OR: 0.47, 95%CI: 0.27–0.82 and OR: 0.55, 95%CI: 0.36–0.85, respectively). In women without preeclampsia and/or GDM, the risk of stunting decreased as the diet quality score increased (+5 units) (OR: 0.62, 95%IC: 0.40–0.96). A high-quality diet during pregnancy was associated with a higher newborn size and a reduced risk of LBW and SGA in this group of pregnant Mexican women.

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Lightweight males of Podisus nigrispinus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) neglect lightweight females due low reproductive fitness

Brazilian Journal of Biology ◽

10.1590/1519-6984.11515 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 77 (2) ◽

pp. 267-276 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

A. I. A. Pereira ◽

R. B. Silva ◽

W. S. Tavares ◽

J. B. Malaquias ◽

J. C. Zanuncio

Keyword(s):

Stink Bugs ◽

High Quality ◽

Gossypium Hirsutum L ◽

Nymphal Stage ◽

Male And Female ◽

Food Shortages ◽

Quality Diet ◽

Males And Females ◽

Heteroptera Pentatomidae ◽

Coleoptera Tenebrionidae

Abstract Sexual choice by male stink bugs is important because females that experience food shortages lay fewer eggs with lower viability compared with well-fed females. In this study, we investigated whether Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) males fed with a low-quality diet during its nymphal stage show selectivity for sexual partners resulting in high-quality progeny. Lightweight males and females were obtained from nymphs fed weekly with Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) pupae. By contrast, heavyweight males and females were fed three times a week and received an extra nutritional source: cotton leaves, Gossypium hirsutum L. (Malvaceae). Lightweight males preferred to mate with heavy females (77.78 ± 14.69%), whereas heavyweight males did not discriminated between light or heavyweight females. Females mated with lightweight males showed similar levels of reproduction to those mated with heavyweight males. The results provide an indication of the importance of male and female body weight for sexual selection in Asopinae stink bugs.

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DNA Preparation In Vitis Vinifera L. for Third Generation Sequencing

10.21203/rs.3.rs-259540/v2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Androniki C. Bibi ◽

Anastasios Kollias ◽

Maria Astrinaki ◽

Despoina Vassou ◽

Dimitris Kafetzopoulos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitis Vinifera ◽

Low Cost ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Vitis Vinifera L ◽

Full Potential ◽

Third Generation ◽

High Quality ◽

Fresh Tissue ◽

Long Read ◽

Young Leaves

Abstract Background: There have been several attempts to sequence the genome of Vitis vinifera L. (grapevine), utilizing low-resolution second-generation platforms. Nevertheless, the characterization of the grapevine genetic resources and its adaptation to vulnerable conditions could be better addressed through extensive and high-resolution genome sequencing.MinION is a third-generation sequencer preferred by many laboratories due to its relatively low cost, ease of use and small size. Even though this long-read technology has been rapidly improving, to reach its full potential requires high-quality DNA.Results: Here we establish a workflow for DNA extraction suitable for MinION sequencing long reads from grapevine. This protocol was tested with leaf samples from different positions on annual growing branches of grapevine, Purified nuclei from fresh young leaves that led to high quality, long DNA fragments, suitable for long-read sequencing were successfully generated. It is evident that longer reads in grapevine associate with both fresh tissue and adjusted conditions used for nuclei purification.Conclusions: We propose that this workflow presents a significant advancement for long-read quality DNA isolation for grapevine and likely other plant species.

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A Test of Foraging Models Using Dietary Diversity Indices for the Lomako Forest Bonobos

Folia Primatologica ◽

10.1159/000519722 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 92 (4) ◽

pp. 211-226

Author(s):

Alexana J. Hickmott ◽

Michel T. Waller ◽

Monica L. Wakefield ◽

Nicholas Malone ◽

Colin M. Brand ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Availability ◽

Dietary Diversity ◽

Diversity Indices ◽

Behavioral Observation ◽

Foraging Strategies ◽

Primate Species ◽

Data Sets ◽

Observation Data ◽

Optimal Diet ◽

Foraging Models

Optimal diet and functional response models are used to understand the evolution of primate foraging strategies. The predictions of these models can be tested by examining the geographic and seasonal variation in dietary diversity. Dietary diversity is a useful tool that allows dietary comparisons across differing sampling locations and time periods. Bonobos (Pan paniscus) are considered primarily frugivorous and consume fruits, leaves, insects, vertebrates, terrestrial herbaceous vegetation, and flowers. Frugivores, like bonobos, are valuable for examining dietary diversity and testing foraging models because they eat a variety of species and are subject to seasonal shifts in fruit availability. Frugivorous primate species thus allow for tests of how variation in dietary diversity is correlated with variation in ecological factors. We investigated measures of dietary diversity in bonobos at two research camps across field seasons within the same protected area (N’dele and Iyema) in Lomako Forest, Democratic Republic of the Congo. We compared the results of behavioral observation (1984/1985, 1991, 1995, 2014, and 2017) and fecal washing analysis (2007 and 2009) between seasons and study period using three diversity indices (Shannon’s, Simpson’s, and SW evenness). The average yearly dietary diversity indices at N’dele were Shannon’s Hʹ = 2.04, Simpson’s D = 0.82, and SW evenness = 0.88 while at Iyema, the indices were Shannon’s Hʹ = 2.02, Simpson’s D = 0.82, and SW evenness = 0.88. Behavioral observation data sets yielded significantly higher dietary diversity indices than fecal washing data sets. We found that food item (fruit, leaf, and flower) consumption was not associated with seasonal food availability for the 2017 behavioral observation data set. Shannon’s index was lower during periods when fewer bonobo dietary items were available to consume and higher when fruit was abundant. Finally, we found that optimal diet models best-explained patterns of seasonal food availability and dietary diversity. Dietary diversity is an essential factor to consider when understanding primate diets and can be a tool in understanding variation in primate diets, particularly among frugivores. Dietary diversity varies across populations of the same species and across time, and it is critical in establishing a complete understanding of how primate diets change over time.

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Energy in Prehistory

Energy and Civilization ◽

10.7551/mitpress/9780262035774.003.0002 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Vaclav Smil

Keyword(s):

East Africa ◽

Tool Use ◽

Foraging Strategies ◽

Small Populations ◽

Origins Of Agriculture ◽

High Quality ◽

Isotopic Evidence

This chapter discusses the use of energy during prehistoric times. Our direct ancestors spent their lives as simple foragers, and it was only about 10,000 years ago that the first small populations of our species began a sedentary existence based on the domestication of plants and animals. This means that for millions of years, the foraging strategies of hominins resembled those of their primate ancestors, but we now have isotopic evidence from East Africa that by about 3.5 million years ago hominin diets began to diverge from those of extant apes. The chapter first considers how bipedalism started a cascade of enormous evolutionary adjustments such as adaptations underlying tool use and adaptation to high-quality, energy-dense foods (meat, nuts) before providing an overview of foraging societies and the origins of agriculture.

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Food abundance and diet variation in freshwater turtles from the mid-Murray River, Australia

Australian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1071/zo17060 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 66 (1) ◽

pp. 67 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Kristen Petrov ◽

Jessica Lewis ◽

Natasha Malkiewicz ◽

James U. Van Dyke ◽

Ricky-John Spencer

Keyword(s):

Green Algae ◽

Prey Availability ◽

Foraging Strategies ◽

Freshwater Turtles ◽

Food Items ◽

Filamentous Green Algae ◽

Invertebrate Diversity ◽

Murray River ◽

Specialist Species ◽

Chelodina Longicollis

Consumers usually respond to variations in prey availability by altering their foraging strategies. Generalist consumers forage on a diversity of resources and have greater potential to ‘switch’ their diet in response to fluctuations in prey availability, in comparison to specialist consumers. We aimed to determine how the diets of two specialist species (the eastern long-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis) and the broad-shelled turtle (Chelodina expansa) and the more generalist Murray River short-necked turtle (Emydura macquarii) respond to variation in habitat and prey availability. We trapped and stomach-flushed turtles, and compared their diets along with environmental variables (turbidity, macrophyte and filamentous green algae cover, and aquatic invertebrate diversity and abundance) at four wetlands in north-central Victoria. Diets of E. macquarii differed from those of both Chelodina species, which overlapped, across all four sites. However, samples sizes for the two Chelodina species were too small to compare among-wetland variation in diet. Dietary composition of E. macquarii was variable but did not differ statistically among sites. Emydura macquarii preferentially selected filamentous green algae at three of the four sites. Where filamentous green algae were rare, total food bolus volume was reduced and E. macquarii only partially replaced it with other food items, including other vegetation, wood, and animal prey. Many turtles at these sites also had empty stomachs. Thus, filamentous green algae may be a limiting food for E. macquarii. Although E. macquarii has previously been described as a generalist, it appears to have limited ability to replace filamentous green algae with other food items when filamentous green algae are rare.

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